USS PICKING WORLD WAR II LOG

January 17, 1944                                              Zone description plus ten:

            Steaming as before

0130     Changed base course to 270° T&G, 269° psc.

0305     Changed base course to 180° T&G, 174° psc.

0600     Had radar contact on Great Sitkin Island, bearing 120° T. distant 25 miles.

0700     Changed course to 270° T&G, 269° psc.

0720     Left anti-submarine screen, took station in column with U.S.S BADGER and U.S.S. LUCE. U.S.S. BADGER guide. Base Course to 350° T&G, speed 10 knots, 94 r.p.m.

0930      Left formation to join U.S.S. SPROSTON, U.S.S. WICKES, and U.S.S WILLIAM D. PORTER. Took position in column astern of U.S.S.    SPROSTON; U.S.S. WICKES, and U.S.S. PORTER astern of

 

0830     Underway in company with U.S.S. CHARLES J. BADGER, and U.S.S. LUCE, from N.O.B. Pier, Sand Bay, Great Sitkin Island, in accordance with ComDesRon 49 secret despatch 170900 of January. Steaming various courses and speed while standing out of Sand Bay and into Kuluk Bay .

1028     Joined Task Force 94. Took station in destroyer anti-submarine screen 3000 yards ahead of cruiser column of U.S.S. RICHMOND , U.S.S. DETROIT , and U.S.S. RALEIGH .

1039     Set base course OOO° T&G, 346° psc., Speed 15 knots.

1100     Commenced zigzagging according to plan.

1115     Ceased zigzagging. Formed in anti-aircraft screening disposition.

1135     Formed in anti-submarine screen 3000 yards ahead of cruiser column.

1150     Changed base course to 180° T&G 176° psc.

1218     Commenced zigzagging according to plan.

1246     Ceased zigzagging. Commenced steaming various courses and speeds while standing through Kuluk Bay and into Sand Bay, Great Sitkin Island Alaska .

1428     Moored port side to N.0.B. Pier, Sand Bay, Great Sitkin Island, Alaska . Various units of U.S. Fleet present in harbor, S.O.P.A. is CTF 94 in U.S.S. RICHMOND.

 

January 18, 1944                                              Zone description plus ten:

Moored as before.

0030     Underway in company with U. S. S. CHARLED J. BADGER from N.0.B. Pier, Sand Bay, Alaska in accordance with ComNorPac secret despatch 180723 Of January. Steaming various courses and speeds while standing out of Sand Bay and Kuluk Bay .

0150     Set base course to 270° T&G, 268° psc., speed 15 knots.

0209     Changed speed to 25 knots.

0600     Changed base course to 210° T&G, 205° psc. Had radar contact on Amchitka Island , Alaska bearing 250° T, distant 28 miles.

0800     Commenced steaming various courses and speeds while carrying out search for lost aviators south of Rat Islands, Alaska.

1938     Set base course 067° T&G, O6O psc., speed 10 knots.

2000     Position Latitude 49° 49’N. Longitude 174° l4’E. Commenced firing starshells hourly to aid in search.

2200     Commenced zigzagging according to plan.

 

January 19, 1944                                              Zone description plus ten:

Steaming as before.

0420     Ceased zigzagging. Changed speed to 18 knots. Ceased firing starshells having expended eight rounds 5”/38 Illuminating ammunition.

0736     Changed base course to 245° T&G, 245° psc.

0800     Position Latitude 49° 32’N. Longitude 174° 26’E.

0912     Changed base course to 067° T&G, 060° psc. Changed speed to 15 knots.

0915     Fired one round 5”/38 Illuminating ammunition.

1200     Position Latitude 49° 48’N. Longitude 175° 06’E.

1417-    Fired burst practice, expended seven rounds 5”/38 AA-Common and 32

1515     rounds 40mm AA ammunition.

2000     Position Latitude 50° 19°N. Longitude 177° 21’E.

2113     Changed speed to 20 knots.

2200     Changed base course to 061° T&G, 049°psc.

2227     Fired one round 5/38 Illuminating ammunition to investigate reported light. Results negative.

 

January  20, 1944                                            Zone description plus ten:

         Steaming as before.

0200     Changed base course to 000° T&G, 347° psc.

0330     Changed base course to 050° T&G, 036° psc.

0600     Changed base course to 090° T&G, 080° psc.

0800     Position Latitude 52° 06’N. Longitude 178° 02W.

0845     Sighted Kanaga Island, bearing 1700 T., distant 15 miles.

1020     Changed course to 117° T&G, 109° psc.

1030      Sighted Task Force 94 in sortie from Kuluk Bay , Alaska .

1050      Joined Task Force 94. Took station in anti-submarine screen 5000 yards ahead of cruiser column of U.S.S. RICHMOND , U.S.S. DETROIT ,

          and U.S.S. RALEIGH . Base course 000° T&G, 347° psc. Speed 15 knots. Commenced zigzagging according to plan.

1200      Position Latitude 52° 20'N. Longitude 176° 23.5W.

1245      Ceased zigzagging. Commenced steaming various courses and speeds while carrying out exercises.

1346      Took position in battle disposition while cruisers fired Day Battle Practice at towed target. PICKING with DesDiv 97 in van destroyer group.

1510      Simulated division torpedo attack.

1730      Took station in anti-submarine screen ahead of cruiser column. Ran course 000° T&G, 347° psc. Speed 25 knots, zigzagging according to plan.

1800      Ceased zigzagging.

2000      Position Latitude 54° 27’N. Longitude 176° 08W. Changed base course to 210° T&G, 210 psc.

 

January 21, 1944                                              Zone description plus ten:

Steaming as before.

0200      Changed base course to 165° T&G, 147° psc.

0225      Changed base course to 120° T&G, 112° psc.

0500      Took station in battle disposition. Task force column. PICKING guide.

0545      Changed base course to l600 T&G, 161° psc. Commenced approach to Great Sitkin Island for shore bombardment exercise.

0650      Commenced steaming various courses and speeds while firing exercise. Base fire course 160° T&G, l6l° psc.

0652-     Fired shore bombardment exercise expended 24 rounds 5/38 AA Common

0753      and six rounds 5/38 Illuminating ammunition.

0815      Took station in anti-submarine screen 3000 yds. ahead of cruiser column. U.S.S. RICHMOND guide.

0934      Moored to anchorage buoy #1, Sweepers Cove, Adak Island , Alaska . Various units of U.S. Fleet present in harbor. S.O.P.A. is

ComNorPacFor.

0945-    U.S.S. LUCE,U.S.S. CHARLES J. BADGER, U.S.S. SPROSTON moored

1030      alongside to port in that order.

 

January 22, 1944                                              Zone description plus ten:

Steaming as before.

 

January 23, 1944                                              Zone description plus ten:

         Steaming as before.

 

January 24, 1944                                              Zone description plus ten:

         Moored as before.

0902     Underway from anchorage buoy #1, Sweeper Cove, Adak Island , Alaska in company with Task Force 94 in accordance with ComNorPac secret

         dispatch 140009 of January, 1944. Steaming various courses and speeds while standing out of Sweeper Cove and into Kuluk Bay .

0920      Took station in anti-submarine screen 5000 yds. ahead of cruiser column of U.S.S. RICHMOND and U.S.S. RALEIGH . OTC is CTF 94 in RICHMOND .

0959      Set base course to 350° T&G, 338 psc. Speed 15 knots.

1015      Commenced zigzagging according to plan.

1047      Ceased zigzagging. Changed base course to 340° T&G, 327° psc. Took position in Task Force column.

1110-    Fired machine gun practice at towed sleeve, expending 258 rounds40mm,

1155     812 rounds 20mm ammunition.

1200     Position Latitude 52°25’ N, Longitude l76°52’ W.

1220     Changed base course to 015° T&G, 003° psc. Took position in anti-­submarine 5000 yds. ahead of cruiser column.

1332      Commenced zigzagging according to plan.

1457-     Steaming various courses and speeds while carrying out exercises.

1600

1600      Resumed position in anti-submarine screen, set base course 275° T&G,

271° psc. Speed 16 knots.

1606      Commenced zigzagging according to plan.

1845      Ceases zigzagging. Steaming various courses and speeds while carrying out night torpedo attack exercises.

2000      Position Latitude 52°l6‘ N, Longitude 179°04‘ W.

2145      Resumed station in anti-submarine screen ahead of cruiser column. Base course 275° T&G, 271° psc. Speed 16 knots  

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